The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-06-05
OUR SPARE ROOM.

ceedinely difficult to get to the city
where [ go every day-from therefor to
get anywhere else, for the matter OF
that But think our chief reason for
going to live there was that we had the
chance of taking a house that had been
i'buiIt by a friend of mine for his own &C.
cupation, who found after it was
finished that he would have to live
abroad for two OR three years. Houses
that people build for themselves are
always so much nicer than those they
build for other people. So we at once
decided to take it, and ever since have
been trying to get away from it.
We both wanted to live in town, in
London proper. I wanted my club
handy, and Margaret wanted the
bonnet-shops. Choosing new house
is weighty and important matter. and
we braced our minds beforehand by
many conversations on the subject, and
at last began seriously to house-hunt.
We looked at good many desirable
residences" in the regions OF South Ken
sington and Bayswater, and saw few
that we liked pretty well, and q large
number that we did not like at all. A
good many OF the houses had Just been
newly and smartly done up for the sea
son-it was the month of February
when we began our search-wlth an evil
dent view of attracting the public. But
although they were magnificent with
paint, paper, WhiteWash and Jacobean
mantlepieces, we frequently found that
they were deficient III the less apparent
details of drainage, clsterns and boilers,
with which unimportant trities the
landlord had evidently considered it not
worth while to busy himself.
Some houses, on the other hand were
not "done up" in any way, but were
dark, dirty and cobwebbed and haunted
by cadaverous care-takers. 1t was use
less to try and investigate any of this
species, as Margaret refused to go any
further than the drawing room floor,
and would not entertain the idea of them
for single instant. First impressions
are everything" she would remark en-
phatically when | tried to convince her
that painting and papering were not
yet lost arts, and that the care-taker
would not, of necessity, form part Of
our establishment.
Our house-hunting was, therefore,
long business, and we made quite a
picnic of it, Margaret declared, for we
frequently retired to a confectionery
for afternoon tea, instead OF going back
to Finchley for that meal, which was
would not have thought the day COM
plete without it. So, as the afternoons
at the end of February are long and
light, we frequently walked about look
ing at houses until nearly o'clock.
One evening we were sitting together
in my smoking-room, after dinner,
talking, as we usually did, about our
prospective new house, Margaret
seemed suddenly to be struck with an
idea.
Charley she said, leaning forward
in her chair and placing her pretty lit
tie forefnger on her pointed chin as she
spoke, there is one thing that our new
house must not have, and that thing is
a spare room"
No spare room!" 7 cried, nearly
dropping the end OF my cigar in my
surprise. why where shall we keep
all our boxes, my dear, and your sew
ing machine, which you never use; and
-"
II mean spare bedroom, interrupted
Margaret, reprov1ngly. And 1 wish you
wouldn't say my dear, it makes me
feel so old"
"old" 1 said, astonished and nysti-
fed.
Yes" returned Margaret. "Mr.
Whitelock call his wife my dear, and
they are both over TO-"
This argument was unanswerable. [
did not attempt to refute 1t.
finnod CIV "
love" C"AhI that's better" said my
wifel. would you mind explaining to
me your objections to that time
honored institution, guest chamber =?
Are YOU afraid of a ghost taking up its
Quarters with us?"
NO" answered Margaret, still keep
ing her finger on her chin and regard
ing me with a fixed and steadfast gaze.
She had not even blanched when !
alluded to the sewing machine. But
in London, he who keeps spare room
keeps hotel"
It was too true. I dropped the end of
nv cigar into the CRATE outright, while
visions of Aunt Georgia, from Lemlng-
ton. "iust running up from Saturday
till Monday" with her maid, her asth-
matte pug, and her array OF imperials,
Ecoursed through my brain.
Aunt Georgina-sLe was Margaret's
amt. not mine-had frequently per
formed this athletic feat since our mar
rage and we soon found out that her
Saturday till Monday" was not by any
means the same as that period of time
recorded in the almanacs. 1t was some
times a week, but more often ten days.
and it had been known to extend itself
to a month. do not think we either OF
MS absolutely disliked Aunt Georgina.
In fact. if any one had asked US what
we particularly objected to in her, we
should have been somewhat puzzled to
reply; but she was like rich plum
pudding-a little of her went long way.
They say that everything comes to
tn ose who wait. Still more does every
thing come to those who search long
and diligently enough, and in due time
our house was found. It was in every
way satisfactory. It had been freshly
done up with paint, paper, and the
newest things in mantlepieces and
dsdos, and proper attention had been
paid to such things as drainage. gas
mines and boilers. 1t was in the Bays
water direction; it was close to an ON
nibus route; it was only shilling car
fare distance to my club. and there was
| 1Inn not far 0f1